NORRISTOWN — A man accused of taking part with his cousin in a Pottstown gunshot slaying wants to distance himself at trial from his cousin and the cousin’s alleged relationship with the victim, according to court papers.

Michael Romain Hinton, 27, has filed court papers asking a judge to prevent prosecutors from presenting trial testimony that he allegedly was aware that his cousin, Maurice Laverne Andrews Jr., allegedly stole a firearm from murder victim Victor Enrique Bonilla Baez and tried to kidnap an associate of Baez.

“…focusing the jury upon the actions and disputes that the cousin had with the victim will only serve to confuse and divert the jury’s attention from the true focus of the case; whether or not Mr. Hinton conspired with his cousin to shoot the victim,” McMenamin wrote in documents filed in Montgomery County Court this week.

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A judge has not yet scheduled a hearing on Hinton’s pretrial request.

Hinton, of the 900 block of North Stainbridge Street, Norristown, and Andrews, 20, whose last known address was in the first block of North Charlotte Street, Pottstown, each is charged in connection with the 2:17 a.m. March 22, 2013, gunshot slaying of Baez outside Brian’s Café in the 300 block of Jefferson Avenue.

Hinton and Andrews are slated to stand trial separately later this year on charges of first-, second- and third-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and firearms violations in connection with the slaying.

McMenamin indicated in court papers that he believes prosecutors also will attempt to present trial testimony that Hinton “is involved in illegal drug activity in and around Norristown and Pottstown” and that Hinton “associates with individuals believed by the police to be involved in illegal drug activity in and around Montgomery County.”

“The prejudicial effect of such evidence outweighs its probative value,” claimed McMenamin, asking a judge to bar prosecutors from introducing such alleged evidence against Hinton at trial.

Prosecutors will have the chance to address Hinton’s requests at a pretrial hearing.

Baez, who also was known as Vincent Taylor, was found lying in the street adjacent to the sidewalk at Brian’s Café, suffering from gunshot wounds to his torso, according to the criminal complaint filed by county Detective Todd Richard and Pottstown Detective Heather Long. An autopsy determined Baez, 27, died from multiple gunshot wounds during an alleged altercation with Andrews and Hinton.

Witnesses questioned during the investigation told detectives that Baez and Andrews had been feuding for several months.

Hinton was apprehended several hours after the shooting when he was spotted on a borough street with an apparent gunshot injury. Hinton initially gave police inconsistent statements, but he eventually told detectives Andrews approached him a day before the murder and confided in him that Andrews was involved in an attempted kidnapping of Baez’s nephew on March 20, according to court papers.

“Andrews said that the plan had failed and he believed that Baez wanted to harm him,” detectives, referring to Hinton’s statement, wrote in the arrest affidavit. “Hinton said that Andrews asked Hinton to come to Pottstown with him to ‘watch his back.’”

Andrews and Hinton allegedly traveled by bus from Norristown to Pottstown on March 21 and armed themselves with guns, Andrews with a Glock semiautomatic pistol and Hinton with a .357-caliber revolver, according to court papers. In the early morning hours of March 22, the armed men went to the area of Brian’s Café, where Baez was known as a regular customer.

“Hinton said that Andrews told him he wanted to kill Baez,” detectives alleged in the arrest affidavit.

Andrews waited in a vehicle outside the bar while Hinton went inside to see if Baez was there, court documents indicate. According to Hinton’s statement to police, when Baez left the bar, Andrews approached him with a gun.

“Hinton said he also pulled his gun and Baez grabbed onto the barrel and a struggle ensued. During this struggle, Hinton said that Baez gained control of the revolver and the gun discharged,” according to the criminal complaint. “Hinton said Andrews fired his gun, striking both Baez and Hinton. Hinton said he was struck in the hand and that he left the revolver at the scene.”

Follow Carl Hessler Jr. on Twitter @MontcoCourtNews

About the Author

Carl Hessler Jr. writes about crime and justice at the Montgomery County Courthouse for The Mercury and 21st Century Media Newspaper’s Greater Philadelphia area publications. A native of Reading, he studied at Penn State University and Kutztown University before graduating from Alvernia University with a degree in communications. He is a recipient of a National Headliner Award and has been honored for his writing by the Keystone Press Association, Philadelphia Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists and the Associated Press Managing Editors of Pennsylvania. Reach the author at chessler@pottsmerc.com
or follow Carl on Twitter: @MontcoCourtNews.